A Manual on The Evangelism of Children by Jennifer Haaijer Child Evangelism Fellowship® A Manual on The Evangelism of Children 2 “A Manual on the Evangelism of Children” © 1996 European Child Evangelism Fellowship®, PDF version © 2010 European Child Evangelism Fellowship® All rights reserved worldwide. May be reproduced for personal, nonprofit and non-commercial uses only. Visit www.teachkids.eu for full details of permission. European Child Evangelism Fellowship, Kilchzimmer, CH - 4438 Langenbruck, Switzerland A Manual on The Evangelism of Children 3 Foreword In every country there are multitudes of children who have never heard the Gospel. Thankfully there are believers who want to bring them the Gospel. This book has been written to help these Christians to evangelise boys and girls. It is not enough to gather the children together, to get their attention or to have an enjoyable time. The need of the children and the command of Christ demand that the boys and girls be evangelised. John Wesley, recognising that this was no easy task, called it, “a work which will exercise the talents of the most able preachers in England”! May God be pleased to use this book to guide, help and encourage many who are engaged in this vital work. This book is the result of years of study, research, experience and teaching, and is the joint work of Jennifer Haaijer, a missionary with Child Evangelism Fellowship, Sam Doherty and Roy Harrison, Director and Assistant Director of European Child Evangelism Fellowship respectively. Many others among the ranks of CEF in Europe also helped through their comments and constructive criticism. A Manual on The Evangelism of Children 4 Contents Foreword _____________________________________________________________3 Contents _____________________________________________________________4 1. Children _________________________________________________________8 Children Need to be Saved .....................................................................................................................8 Children can be Saved ..........................................................................................................................10 God Loves children................................................................................................................................10 Children are Open to the Gospel...........................................................................................................11 A Child Saved is a Life Saved ...............................................................................................................11 2. Evangelism ____________________________________________________ 13 The Need for Evangelism ......................................................................................................................13 The Meaning of Evangelism ..................................................................................................................13 The Excitement of Evangelism ..............................................................................................................14 The Bible is our Source Book................................................................................................................14 There is Only One Message..................................................................................................................14 The Gospel is an Extensive Message ...................................................................................................15 The Gospel is a Powerful Message.......................................................................................................15 The Gospel is a Doctrinal Message.......................................................................................................15 Evangelism Should Aim for the Mind, Emotions and Will.....................................................................16 We Do Not Know How Much a Child Needs to Understand of the Whole Message of Salvation .........16 Only God the Holy Spirit can Regenerate .............................................................................................17 God is Sovereign in Evangelism............................................................................................................17 God has Committed the Ministry of Evangelism to You and Me ..........................................................17 We Need to Know the Message............................................................................................................18 3. Teach about the Lord Jesus Christ ___________________________ 20 The New Testament Evangelists Preached Christ ................................................................................20 Teach about the Person of Christ..........................................................................................................21 4. Teach about the Work of Christ ______________________________ 23 His Sinless Life......................................................................................................................................23 His Death...............................................................................................................................................24 His Resurrection....................................................................................................................................25 His Exaltation.........................................................................................................................................26 A Manual on The Evangelism of Children 5 5. Teach about God in Evangelism ______________________________ 28 Teaching about God is the Basis of Evangelism...................................................................................28 The Lord Jesus and the Apostles Taught about God when Evangelising ............................................29 There are many Truths to Teach About God.........................................................................................29 6. Teach that God has spoken, and that He is the Creator _____ 31 God has Spoken to us Through the Bible..............................................................................................31 God is Creator .......................................................................................................................................32 Reasons for Teaching about the creator ...............................................................................................32 How to Teach This Truth to Children.....................................................................................................33 7. Teach the Holiness and Justice of God ______________________ 35 Reasons for Teaching the Holiness and Justice of God.......................................................................35 How to Teach God’s Holiness and Justice to Children..........................................................................37 8. Teach the Love of God ________________________________________ 39 Reasons for Teaching the Love of God.................................................................................................39 How to Teach the Love of God..............................................................................................................40 9. Teach about Sin in Evangelism _______________________________ 43 Sin is Against God.................................................................................................................................43 Sin is Transgression of the Law ............................................................................................................44 Sin must be Punished ...........................................................................................................................45 Sin is Universal......................................................................................................................................46 We are Sinners by Nature .....................................................................................................................46 We are Sinners by Practice...................................................................................................................47 10. Bring God’s Invitation to Sinners _____________________________ 49 What is the Invitation?...........................................................................................................................49 Should We Give This Invitation? ...........................................................................................................51 How Should We Give This Invitation? ...................................................................................................51 How Does a Child Respond to the Invitation? .......................................................................................52 11. Children and Repentance _____________________________________ 54 Repentance as Shown in the Scriptures ...............................................................................................54 Repentance Defined..............................................................................................................................55 Teaching Repentance to Children.........................................................................................................55 “Problems” in Teaching Repentance to Children...................................................................................57 12. Children